Letter to the Ethereum Community

It was a sunny day in Marin County in 2021 when Morgan Beller first introduced us to Vitalik Buterin. Living out of a 40L backpack, and cracking dad jokes while typing up his latest blog post on verkle trees, we were struck by Vitalik’s down-to-earth demeanor given the outsized role he’s played in the crypto revolution. He defied the “cryptobro” and “egomaniac founder” stereotypes we were used to seeing in mainstream media.

The deeper we stepped into the Ethereum ecosystem, the more surprises awaited us. In the weeks following our meeting with Vitalik, we connected with the incredible Linda Xie, who would  become our trusty guide through this quirky and wonderful ecosystem. Before we knew it, we were quickly onboarded into the space, and launched a pplpleasr NFT crowdfund with Denis and his team at Mirror.xyz. In just 51 hours, we raised 1,035.96 ETH, with Leorad.eth, PleasrDAO and Mariano Conti snagging the top spots on our leaderboard.

The film world quickly took notice of the unorthodox approach, and we were able to bring Steve Jang's Lone Palm, Time Studios, and Big Beach into the fold. This incredible support allowed us to create a fully independent film without pressure from a major media company to sensationalize the story. We simply started filming and asking questions, with the Ethereum community and our crowdfund supporters helping us learn along the way.

Over three years of filming, our cameras witnessed history unfold: the NFT boom, a war upending the world order, scandals toppling bad actors, and the most ambitious software upgrade in history. During the rollercoaster of 2021-2023, the Ethereum community experienced some serious growing pains. But no matter the chaos and challenges, Vitalik remained an anchor, steadfast in his vision for an open internet accessible to all.

We began filming expecting to make a single documentary about Ethereum, but our journey led us to something bigger.

Vitalik: An Ethereum Story is our feature documentary about the humanity and heart behind a technology. This is a film for community members, the crypto-curious, and skeptics alike. We’ll be the first to admit, this film can't capture the full story of Ethereum—this is an ecosystem too diverse and vast for one film—but seeing the community through Vitalik’s eyes helps make this story accessible and human. 

This film is the centerpiece of our “Ethereum Stories” series. The additional stories will be shorter, easily digestible, and take viewers into the very heart of the community. Expect to learn about the history of generative art, feel the democratic power of ConstitutionDAO, relive the launch of GitcoinDAO, witness the innovation of Uniswap, and much more.

Through our Mirror crowdfund, we experienced first hand the incredible power of decentralization. And as our film industry goes through its own reckoning, we want to harness this community-powered technology for how we distribute our work. Partnering with the teams at Zora, Bonfire, and Base, we've decided to put the power into the hands of people, not big distributors, by making the film and full series available onchain.

Minting the trailer, tickets and ancillary content for the film not only unlocks viewing access but will help to fund the feature documentary’s self-release in theaters and on streaming platforms worldwide, making it accessible to people both within and outside of the crypto space. Join us for a story three years in the making. One that chronicles Ethereum from the eyes of the people most committed to keeping it vibrant and infinitely evolving.

-Zach, Carrie, Chris, Jenna & Linda

EthereumFilm.xyz

Mint. Watch. Distribute.

Film Distribution 3.0

Introduction

Film distribution has long been controlled by a handful of powerful intermediaries, leaving creators little control over their work’s reach and monetization. But the advent of blockchain technology and the rise of the Ethereum community presents a unique opportunity to disrupt this broken system. By embracing onchain funding and self-distribution, we can revolutionize how films are financed, distributed, and experienced.

Background

In the past five years, we’ve seen the consolidation of major media companies, significantly limiting distribution opportunities and narrowing the type of content produced and distributed. Creators and audiences are at the mercy of media giants with business models that favor certain types of genres and algorithms that create echo chambers. We miss out on discovering stories that expose us to new ideas and challenge us with different perspectives. 

We think there’s a different way. One that celebrates and supports independent creators, diverse perspectives, and alternative distribution platforms. The Ethereum community has been building decentralized alternatives in finance, art, and social media. It’s time to bring that disruption to the entertainment industry.

Drawing inspiration from the Ethereum ethos, we propose a new approach to the distribution of Ethereum Stories, a multi-faceted documentary series, and our flagship film, Vitalik: An Ethereum Story. This isn't just a documentary project; it's a bold experiment in community-powered storytelling.

By harnessing the power of crypto for the film's trailer, ancillary content and ticketing, we’re creating a distribution model that gives the community direct access to the film while funding a decentralized release of Vitalik: An Ethereum Story in theaters around the world and on a traditional streaming platform. This is your chance to be more than just a viewer. Every click, every share, every ticket helps build a new world of decentralized film distribution.

Minting and Distribution Plan

Phase 1: Trailer Launch - July 23rd (9am PT)

Mint the film's trailer on Zora to power the film’s distribution.

• Trailer releases as a “Zora Mint”. The trailer can be minted an unlimited number of times, with every mint, you’re helping to fund the distribution of the film.

• Public Goods split with Protocol Guild to help support Layer 1 infrastructure.

• 72-hour Minting Leaderboard Challenge on ethereumfilm.xyz (Locks at 12pm PT on July 26th, 2024).

• Rewards:

  • Top 3 minters (based on number of mints):

    • Private pre-premiere screening set up in a theater of their choosing for 25 guests with a virtual Q&A with the film team.

    • "Contributing Producer” credit in the animated end credits.

    • Onchain ticket to stream the film via ethereumfilm.xyz.

  • Top 4-10 minters:

    • 2x tickets to an in-person world premiere of their choice.

    • "Infinite Thanks" in the rolling end credits of the film.

    • Onchain ticket to stream the film via ethereumfilm.xyz.

  • Top 11-20 minters:

    • 1 ticket to an in-person world premiere of their choice.

    • "Special Thanks" in the rolling end credits of the film.

    • Onchain ticket to stream the film via ethereumfilm.xyz.

Phase 2:  Presale of Onchain Ticketing - July 26th

• Onchain ticketing powered by Base to stream the film on ethereumfilm.xyz.

• 250+ worldwide IRL premieres via Gathr's decentralized, community-driven platform.

• Release of Ethereum Stories as we countdown to the global launch.

• Original Mirror crowdfund supporters to receive exclusive perks, including a ticket to stream the film.

Phase 3: IRL World Premieres (Sept 18th) & Onchain Streaming (Sept 20th)

• 30-days to stream the film for ticket holders on ethereumfilm.xyz.

• Bringing together local Ethereum communities around the world with IRL premieres of the film on screens across the globe!!

Phase 4: Extended Theatrical Run - Fall 2024

• Bring communities together through in-person events and cinematic screenings.

Phase 5: Mainstream Streaming Debut - Winter 2024/2025

• Film is available globally on traditional streaming platforms (TBD).

• Major marketing push to bring these Ethereum stories to new audiences.

Conclusion

By combining the best of crypto with traditional distribution methods, we’re empowering the community while maximizing the film’s reach.

Vitalik: An Ethereum Story isn't just about watching a film; it's about being part of a movement that's redefining how stories are told and shared.

This is going to be fun! We hope you’ll join us.